Thankfully while being overseas, the bases would celebrate the Fourth of July, so we were still able to enjoy festivities and fireworks, but there is a different feeling that comes with the holiday and being in the states. It’s no longer just a few people celebrating, it’s everyone around you. It’s this reason we were looking forward to heading to the Freedom Fest and taking it all in. It was an exciting day with multiple events planned to start from the Red, White & Blue Color Run at 8am to the Fireworks at 11pm.

The Freedom Fest STEAM activities were great for kids of all ages. The staff put on a great display of fun and easy science experiments. There was a water bomb station where the kids created their own paper water balloons and threw them at the wall to watch them explode. A station which had them creating their own bubble wand in various shapes to show how the bubbles can form in different ways. Our personal favorites were the mini bottle launches with vinegar and citric acid mixed to shoot them high in the trees, and the make your own slushy station for a tasty treat to cool us down in the midday sun. To top it all off, the library staff was launching a large bottle rocket in the field to show the kids the reaction from mixing vinegar and baking soda.

The day was heating up, so the next stop was to head to the Outdoor Pool for some fun and games. Outdoor Recreation organized two hours of water fun followed by a Bike Rodeo. The pool was full of laughs as there was a wet shirt challenge, pool noodle surfing and a watermelon push relay. At the Bike Rodeo, kids showed up with their bikes to ride a path created by FSS staff to learn about bike safety and show off their racing skills.

The big event of the day and my son’s personal favorite was the BMX Pro Trick Team. The show was set up in the Turf parking lot with a Half Pipe and Quarter Pipe set in front of bleachers. With three BMX riders, three FMX riders, and a skate boarder the show was packed with amazing jumps, audience participation and incredible talent. After the show was completed, the riders were available for pictures. My son was thrilled to meet Cam, who wore the number 3 because his name is Cam and he is turning 3. It was a great small moment for our family and a fantastic show for everyone to enjoy.

After the show, everyone headed to the Rocker’s parking lot to enjoy local food trucks, bounce houses, corn hole, and various booths from the organizations on base. Finally, we were able to enjoy the beautiful firework show to end the night and conclude our celebrations of the Fourth.